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2011 Chevrolet Equinox: True Cost, Problems & Verdict

781 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.

Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
Chevrolet Equinox
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · open the model page
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Owner complaints: 781 filed with NHTSA

Complaints per year on the road: 52.07

Engine386Power Train145Electrical System74Visibility/Wiper69Fuel/Propulsion System61Unknown Or Other57

What owners say

Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle, and the engine was rattling and vibrating abnormally. During the failure, there was no warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were not yet contacted. No further information was availabl…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 119,000, and at the time of a Carfax report check, it was discovered that the mileage was 175,000.
I was in a rear end collision on May 14th 2026 the impact of the speed totaled my car in my airbags did not deploy and from my understanding where the sensors are on my vehicle they should have I ended up getting a concussion and soft tissue damage because my head hit the steering wheel my seat belt did not lock either.

Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)

201020142016
CampaignComponentSummary
16V502000Electrical System:IgnitionGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever m…
10V623000Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyGENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC SRX, CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES. THE DRIVER AND /OR FRONT PASS…
14V447000Seats:Front Assembly:Power AdjustGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 C…

True cost of ownership

Fuel (your region) $0
Maintenance band (your region) $2,309$4,648
Estimated running cost this year (age 15) $4,648

Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.

02468101214$4,648vehicle age (years)
fuel/energy + maintenance band (annual, USD, estimate)

Run your own numbers in the true-cost calculator →

FAQ

What is the most common problem with the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?

The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (386 complaints in our indexed sample).

Is the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox a good used car to buy?

Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 26/100, computed from 781 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.

Does the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/07/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.

What will a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox really cost YOU per year?

Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.

Open the true-cost calculator

Data sources

Complaints & recalls: NHTSA · Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov · Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements. Last updated: 2026-08-20.

26RELIABILITY / 100
AVOID
  • 781 NHTSA complaints on record (52.1/yr of exposure)
  • 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems

How this score is computed →

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